The invention relates to a breast prosthesis made from an elastic plastic material having a hollow body-like shaped breast part corresponding to the natural breast and with a contact surface adapted to the human body form having an opening connecting the inner space of the shaped breast part.
The tendency towards breast amputations is increasing, the amputation generally being a consequence of malignant tumours. As a function of the tumour size amputation leads to varyingly large scars and often to poorly covered body surfaces. The scars left behind by amputations are extremely sensitive to pressure edges and chafing points. In addition, breast amputation disturbs the symmetrical weight distribution on the vertical column, so that the following requirements are made on a breast prosthesis. The prosthesis must be adapted to the human body and must form a substantially closed contact surface on the body support side. The weight of the breast prosthesis must be selected in such a way that as far as possible it corresponds to the weight of the usually complete natural breast on the other side. In particular changes to the shoulder girdle and vertebral column must be avoided. The breast prosthesis volume must be such that it comes very close in its oscillation behaviour to that of the natural breast. The surface of such breast prostheses must be made from physiologically unobjectionable material because there are often scars with open points.
A breast prosthesis is known which is made from a flexible, one-part, air-free cup-shaped body which simulates the breast shape (German Utility Model No. 76 03 424). In this known breast prosthesis said body is made from addtition-crosslinked two-component silicone rubber, whose top and bottom surfaces are in each case covered by a plastic foil welded together along the edge of the cup-shaped body. The use of a breast prosthesis body made from addition-crosslinked two-component silicone rubber is intended to ensure that even when the wearer is moving the prosthesis will have the natural appearance, mobility and softness of the healthy breast, is easy to apply and pleasant to wear. Such prostheses having a cavity in the contact side area are cup-shaped, but do not fulfill the essential requirements made on a breast prosthesis. In particular the problems of the contact surface are inadequately solved and vertical oscillation balances, such as are of particular importance with larger breast shapes, are not attained.
In addition, a breast prosthesis with a flexible, one-part, air-free hollow body filled with a liquid and simulating the breast shape is known, being constructed as a double-walled cup simulating the outer shape of the breast (U.S. Pat. No. 2,543,499). Such air-free, liquid-filled, bag-like structures generally have a higher weight than the normal breast and have not gained acceptance because they are unnatural due to their hanging appearance. A further disadvantage of a liquid-filled prosthesis is that the fillers migrate and can flow out if the surrounding casing is damaged.
Another known breast prosthesis comprises either a body made from elastic, foam-like material or a hollow body made from light-weight, finely porous material having a filling of elastic and foam-like material (U.S. Pat. No. 2,851,692). Cylindrical cavities are provided within the breast prosthesis body which are provided with movable weights. Such prostheses are however so nondeformable that they cannot have the appearance of a natural breast.
In addition, breast prostheses made from a shaped foam body are known (German Pat. No. 13 03 139). This shaped foam body which has flat areas is surrounded by a cup-shaped, double-walled hollow plastic body which is spaced therefrom and is only connected to the foam body along its edge and is filled with a liquid. However, this breast prosthesis also has the disadvantage inherent in all liquid-filled breast prostheses. Furthermore, the construction of this known breast prosthesis is complicated and is unable to meet all the requirements made regarding a natural appearance.
A breast prosthesis comprising an approximately hollow cone-shaped member made from an elastic material, whose adhesion to the skin acts against undesired displacements of the prosthesis is contructed in such a way that the prosthesis is reinforced by internally fitted horizontally directed webs which are preferably made in one piece with the prosthesis (German Utility Model No. 17 39 612).
In addition, a breast prosthesis made from soft elastic, porous, adhesive, skin-coloured plastic, such as e.g. hardener-crosslinked, soft silicone rubber produced by shaped casting is known for placing or incorporating into a brassiere. It comprises a protruding, hollow central part, whose convex outer surface has the shape of a female breast with nipple and areola and, whilst maintaining the desired prosthesis wall thickness, its concave inner surface is curved in breast-like manner and centrally with respect to the nipple has a through-bore. Thin flexible edge branches surround the central part, whereof the shoulder-side edge branch is extended to form an extension, whose length and width are such that it is able to cover the axillary gland when the prosthesis is fitted. Thus, a breast prosthesis is allegedly obtained whose appearance and elastic properties largely correspond to those of the natural breast, which does not harm the skin and adheres firmly to the latter. In addition, it does not slip, is easy to wear, fits into standard brassiere sizes and can also be inexpensively mass-produced (German Utility Model No. 76 31 795).
Another known breast prosthesis which gives the wearer the feeling of weight balance and which can easily be compressed without the escaping air causing noises is constructed in such a way that horizontally directed reinforcing ribs and/or supports are provided on the concave inner surface of the shaped breast part and, for example, run radially from the outer periphery of the prosthesis towards the centre and in a preferred embodiment end before the centre (German Utility Model No. 78 13 097).